A clutch friction wheel of the above kind is disclosed in the specification of French patent application No. 93 15580 filed on 23 Dec. 1993. This arrangement is satisfactory to the extent that it enables the inertia of the clutch friction wheel to be reduced due to the way in which the friction liners are fixed, which enables the thickness of the latter to be reduced while giving good progressive action during gripping of the friction liners between the pressure and reaction plates of the clutch that embodies the clutch friction wheel. In addition, the support elements may be made flat and of low thickness, given that each of them now transmits only one half of the driving torque.
In the above mentioned French patent specification, the locating element is inserted for example before the progressive action element is itself fitted. However, in the light of French published patent specification No. FR 2 673 984 A, it can be seen that this complicates the manufacture of the clutch friction wheel in a mould. In addition, once a sub-assembly has been obtained which consists of the friction disc and its locating element, the operation of fitting together this sub-assembly and the other components of the clutch friction wheel is subsequently made more complicated. In addition, it presents problems as regards handling, transport and storage of the sub-assembly, since there is always a danger of the locating element damaging the progressive action element in these conditions.